The 2023 NBA Playoffs are underway and once again basketball fans are being treated to teams competing in close games with fantastic finishes. It has often been said that nothing matches the excitement of NBA postseason play, and so far, this year has been no exception. While the playoffs have been lots of fun thus far, teams that are on the outside looking in are inevitably upset about the missed opportunity while simultaneously strategizing about the future.
One surefire way to lose your fan base is to go on an extended postseason drought and as much as professional basketball is fun, we must always keep in mind that it is a business. If teams don’t put a winning product on the floor, ticket sales and television viewership will drop which will have a negative impact on the franchises’ value.
Bradley Beal has become a superstar during his time with the Washington Wizards but it may be time for the team to head in a different direction.
The Washington Wizards have missed the playoffs each of the last two seasons. After acquiring Kristaps Porziņģis just before the trade deadline last season, fans in the District of Columbia thought the future of their basketball team was bright. However, the team underperformed in the second half of the season and turned in another subpar campaign this season. Considering the fact that the team sealed the deal on a $251 million dollar max contract with star guard Bradley Beal this past off-season, missing the playoffs was a major disappointment.
Next season will be Bradley Beal’s twelfth year in the league; he has only participated in the playoffs five times. He has not disappointed as an individual talent but the team has not been able to find consistent success with him as their franchise player; it may be time for Washington to trade their away cornerstone, who will turn 30 years old before the start of next season, and move in a new direction. Let’s take a closer look at possible trade scenarios for Bradley Beal that could be mutually beneficial for the star guard and the franchise as a whole.
Trade Scenario #5: Bradley Beal to the Pacers
For the past few seasons, one name that has consistently been the subject of trade rumors is Indiana Pacers Center, Myles Turner. He is a rare combination of a modern big man who has not abandoned the traditional duties of rebounding and blocking shots, while simultaneously embracing the modern game and being able to shoot from the perimeter.
This past season, Turner averaged a career-high 18.0 points per game, while also pulling down 7.5 rebounds and blocking 2.3 shots per contest. That being said, his trade value is at an all-time high. If the Pacers are going to get the most value for him, the time to move him to another team is now. The Washington Wizards happen to have an All-Star guard by the name of Bradley Beal who could fit in well with Indiana’s vision for the future and could be the missing piece to a promising backcourt.
If the Pacers and Wizards were to engage in a trade, with Turner and Beal being the primary pieces, there are a few things to consider. The first would be the on-court fit for both ballclubs, followed by the financial aspect for each franchise. Adding Turner to the Wizards would mean moving Kristaps Porziņģis to the power forward on a full-time basis. That would allow him to get the most out of his 7’3″ frame while simultaneously capitalizing on his ability to shoot from the perimeter and stretch the floor.
This would also mean that Kyle Kuzma would no longer see minutes at the power forward position and would move into the small forward role full-time, which could allow him to get the most out of his versatility. Meanwhile, the Pacers could pair Beal with Tyrese Haliburton, who emerged as one of the best passers in the league and a first-time All-Star this past season. With Haliburton’s ability to facilitate and Beal’s ability to score, the Pacers could suddenly have one of the most exciting backcourts in the league.
While the two biggest names in this deal would undoubtedly be Bradley Beal and Myles Turner, the Wizards would be in a position to request a large number of assets for their star guard. Beal is expected to make $46.7 million dollars next season, while Turner is expected to earn $20.9 million. In order to make it work financially, Indiana may have to throw in a few reliable veterans like Daniel Theis, George Hill, and T.J. McConnell. A few future draft picks from Indiana may convince Washington to go through with the deal as the Pacers would go into “win now” mode while the Wizards would be forced to embrace a rebuild.
Trade Scenario #4: Bradley Beal to the Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are a proud franchise but they have missed the playoffs in four consecutive seasons. They are still led by legendary Coach Gregg Popovich, however, the team is in need of an identity if they are going to return to their winning ways.
A trade for Bradley Beal would give Coach Popovich his first franchise player since the team lost DeMar DeRozan to free agency back in 2021. The Spurs have a plethora of young talented players, but winning in the NBA normally takes the right mix of young thoroughbreds and wily veterans. Beal, who will be 30 years old at the start of next season, would still be in his physical prime, yet he possesses the right amount of NBA experience to make him a leader on the court and a respected voice in the locker room.
Unfortunately for San Antonio, acquiring Beal would most likely mean having to part ways with 23-year-old forward Keldon Johnson, who is coming into his own and has shown the potential to be a future All-Star. Although his season averages of 11.6 points per game and 6.4 rebounds per contest were relatively modest, he is capable of an occasional 30-point explosion. It is not inconceivable that if placed in the right situation, Johnson could put up impressive numbers that dwarf his current averages.
As with any scenario, Beal’s massive salary could pose a potential threat to the completion of the trade. However, the Spurs could throw in veteran forward Doug McDermott along with 25-year-old Zach Collins in order to offset the financial undertaking of paying Beal what he is old. Washington would gladly accept McDermott who is a seasoned veteran capable of stretching the floor with his outside shooting. Collins is similar to Porziņģis in his skill set and style of play but he gives the team versatility with his ability to play both the four and the five positions.
San Antonio would ask Beal to revert to the constant attack mode that saw him average over 30 points per game in back-to-back seasons not so long ago. Combining Beal’s instant offense with Gregg Popovich’s basketball genius would make the Spurs a legitimate threat to achieve a top-10 record in the Western Conference and qualify for the annual play-in-tournament.
Trade Scenario #3: Bradley Beal to the Jazz
The Utah Jazz started the 2023 season off as one of the hottest teams in the NBA. Their talented 25-year-old forward, Lauri Markkanen, blossomed into an All-Star, and Salt Lake City even got to host the festivities.
However, things soured quickly after the All-Star break for the Jazz. The team finished the season eight games under .500 and failed to qualify for the play-in tournament. With that being said, Utah may be looking to shake things up heading into next season in order to end their postseason drought. While Markkanen has earned the right to be untouchable in trade discussions, the rest of the roster is most likely up for grabs.
Bradley Beal’s ability to create his own shot and explode for 40 points or more on any given night could make him a great partner in crime for a player like Markkanen. If the Washington Wizards and the Utah Jazz were to discuss a deal for him, Utah would have to be willing to give up players who could contribute right away. Jordan Clarkson has improved his game tremendously over the last few seasons, and at 30 years old, he still has a lot of highly productive years remaining in his career.
However, Beal’s expected salary of $46.7 million dollars next season dwarfs Clarkson’s anticipated earnings of $14.2 million. In order to make the numbers work, the Jazz will most likely have to part ways with Collin Sexton and Talen Horton-Tucker. Sexton and Horton-Tucker are both productive role players and they are relatively young, so Washington would welcome them with open arms. This scenario also allows Utah to retain the services of Ochai Agbaji, who is only 22 years old and had the potential to be a future All-Star in his own right.
Trade Scenario #2: Bradley Beal to the Raptors
Although Scottie Barnes was selected by the Toronto Raptors with the 4th pick in the 2021 NBA draft, he was not expected to emerge as the 2022 Rookie of The Year. That award was expected to land in the hands of Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons or Evan Mobley of the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, Barnes exceeded all expectations and was acknowledged as having the best overall season of any player in his draft class.
In 2023, Barnes duplicated his scoring output from the previous campaign, once again averaging 15.3 points per game. However, he did not take the giant leap forward that many Raptors fans anticipated. With that in mind, Toronto may be looking to pair Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet with a third player who can carry them back to the playoffs sooner rather than later. A trade to acquire Bradley Beal would make sense but unfortunately, Toronto would have to part ways with Barnes in order to pull it off.
The Washington Wizards would surely request a large haul from Toronto in order to part ways with Beal and the team up North has the assets to pull off the maneuver. Gary Trent Jr. is a highly respected backcourt player who can score in bunches and knock down 3-pointers with the best of them. O.G. Anunoby is a great perimeter defender and he’s only 25 years old. If Toronto offered these two along with Barnes, not only would the salary trade-off be close to even, but Washington would be receiving three players who could help them win now and are also young enough to be a part of their plans for the future.
Toronto, on the other hand, would almost certainly be a playoff team with the addition of Beal. The combination of VanVleet and Beal in the backcourt would give the Raptors one of the best guard duos in the league. Siakam has proven to be a reliable frontcourt scorer and the three of them together would form a formidable Big Three capable of willing the team back to the postseason.
Wizards trade Scenario #1: Bradley Beal to the Pelicans
This past off-season. Bradley Beal of the Washington Wizards and Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans each signed max contracts to remain with their respective franchises. Beal, being the more tenured of the two, is expected to earn $46.7 million dollars next season compared to $33.5 million dollars for Williamson.
Entering the 2023 campaign, the Wizards are fully expected to qualify for the playoffs. New Orleans on the other hand, not only expected to make the playoffs, they anticipated being one of the higher seeds in the Western Conference and having a shot at making it to the NBA Finals. Unfortunately for both squads, they each fell short of those goals and will be in the annual draft lottery for teams that did not make the postseason.
While both front offices have publicly stated that they fully support their current franchise player, privately it may be time for a change for each franchise. Beal has played eleven seasons with Washington and is yet to appear in the Eastern Conference Finals. Williamson has been plagued by the injury bug throughout his four-year tenure in New Orleans. A change of scenery may be good for both players.
In order to get Washington to take a chance on Williamson’s health, New Orleans may have to add in a veteran like Larry Nance Jr. and maybe even a few future draft picks. Either way, the message would be clear: Brandon Ingram is now the franchise player and Bradley Beal and C.J. McCollum will be expected to help the team win now! Meanwhile, Washington would be acquiring a 22-year-old who has already made one All-Star game appearance and has the potential to be a superstar.
Bradley Beal has been the consummate professional throughout his NBA career. Although he has stated he wants to spend his entire career in Washington, it may be time for a restart in a different city. There are a number of teams that would be more than happy to acquire Beal’s services. For the right package, the Wizards may be enticed to make the difficult decision to trade away their franchise player and take the team in a different direction.